When a tornado, hailstorm, or hurricane hits, Aaron has 24 hours to be on the ground. Hotels in those zones are often closed, full, or simply gone — so this catastrophe insurance adjuster turned his 2024 Honda Pilot TrailSport into the thing that still works: a no-drill mobile dwelling that is home until the world starts opening back up.
Patrick Botticelli of New Jersey Outdoor Adventures walks the build with Aaron in a tour of a ~27,000-mile, roughly two-year-old Pilot that was completely gutted and rebuilt so every module can unbolt from the factory seat-mount holes and move into the next vehicle.
Why This SUV — Not Another RV
Aaron has owned 15 different RVs. This time the brief was simpler: all-wheel drive, East Coast down to Mexico, and a vehicle that still looks like a Honda from the curb. When he deploys, the first nights are often without hotels. This Pilot is the lodging until things open.
He almost bought a Grand Highlander Hybrid in Chicago, then backed out. The hybrid batteries sit under the floor, and he didn’t want to drill into that. The Pilot let him keep the whole conversion on factory mounts.
The Storage-Unit A-Team Build
Friends from a van shop Aaron used to work at rolled into a storage unit as the “A-team”: food delivered, stay until it’s done. In about a week and a half they gutted the Pilot completely and built the living modules with no extra holes — only the factory seat-mount points — so the bed, cabinets, and desk can pull out and go into whatever he drives next.
He considered building a custom roof rack himself, then bought one instead.
Window Covers, a Six-Foot Bed, and Cubbies That Work
WeatherTech-style window covers from Amazon black out the cabin. One is custom because he lost a cover in the wind; he notes you could DIY the same idea from an auto parts store.
The modular bed is built from the rear seats and pads. Aaron is 6′ tall and the bed covers him; two people would be cramped.
Along the side, a built-in cabinet with cubbies holds a 110 outlet for laptop and drone batteries, a pillow, and cooking gear.
The Desk That Writes Claims — and a Fridge on a Slide
Claims don’t get written from the front seat. Aaron built a sliding desk that stores easily and can go forward or back, so the workspace comes to him.
Underneath, a 12V Bodega cooler/fridge from Amazon hides on a slide.
EcoFlow Power, Charged by Driving
Power is an EcoFlow power station — he wasn’t sure of the exact model, calling it “the 16 or the 1800” — plus an 800W EcoFlow DC/DC charger. That pairing takes the station from empty to full in about two hours of driving, versus a day on the stock 12V system. There’s no solar. Aaron drives constantly for work; solar would matter if you sat in one place for a week.
Carpet as Trim, Gyms for Showers, a JetBoil Just in Case
Gray carpet over plywood is a van-shop trick: the carpet folds as its own trim, so you aren’t chasing wood trim around every edge. Bathrooms and showers come from gyms and truck stops. He eats outside. A JetBoil and green gas cylinders are on board unused — “just in case.” Everything in this Pilot is intentional.
Watch the Full Tour
Patrick’s walkthrough covers the no-drill modules, the desk that makes claim-writing possible, and why this SUV beat another RV for 24-hour disaster deployments.
Learn More
Aaron’s 2024 Honda Pilot TrailSport Camper
Video tour: He Converted His Honda Pilot SUV into a Mobile Dwelling Camper on YouTube
Channel: New Jersey Outdoor Adventures — Patrick Botticelli
Highlights
- 2024 Honda Pilot TrailSport (~27,000 miles, about 2 years) converted into a no-drill stealth camper
- Built for Aaron, a catastrophe insurance adjuster on 24-hour tornado, hail, and hurricane deploys
- Home until hotels open — AWD from the East Coast down to Mexico
- 15 RVs before this; almost a Grand Highlander Hybrid in Chicago, then backed out (batteries under the floor)
- Gutted and built in a storage unit in ~1.5 weeks with van-shop friends (the “A-team”)
- Only factory seat-mount holes, so modules pull out and go into the next vehicle
- WeatherTech-style Amazon window covers (one custom after one blew away); DIY possible from an auto parts store
- Custom roof rack — he considered building it, then bought one
- Modular bed from rear seats/pads: covers 6′ Aaron; two people would be cramped
- Cabinet cubbies with 110 for laptop/drone batteries, pillow, and cooking gear
- Sliding desk for writing claims (forward or back) and a hidden 12V Bodega fridge on a slide
- EcoFlow power station (he wasn’t sure of the exact model) + 800W EcoFlow DC/DC charger: ~2 hours 0–100% vs. a day on stock 12V
- No solar — he drives constantly; solar would matter if you sat a week
- Gray carpet over plywood folds as its own trim (van-shop trick)
- Gyms and truck stops for bathroom/shower; eats outside; JetBoil on board unused, “just in case”
- Tour by Patrick Botticelli of New Jersey Outdoor Adventures (uploaded August 12, 2026)
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Alex
